The Netball Team's Training Load and Injury Risk
A school netball team of 12 players has a 6-week pre-season before a tournament. In week 1 they train twice per week for 60 min. The coach then adds a third session and a Saturday match, so by week 3 players are training three times per week for 90 min plus a match. Three players develop knee pain, one has a recurrence of a previous ankle sprain, and two report poor sleep and persistent soreness. One player has a history of an anterior cruciate ligament injury and wants to play every minute. The coach believes that 'more training equals better performance' and plans to add a fourth session in week 4.
1. Evaluate the coach's plan to add a fourth session, using the concepts of training load, adaptation, and injury risk.
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Training load should increase gradually so that the body has time to adapt. In this team, load has risen sharply: from two 60 min sessions in week 1 to three 90 min sessions plus a match by week 3. That is a large increase in both volume and frequency over a short period, and the signs of poor adaptation are already present: knee pain in three players, an ankle re-injury, poor sleep, and persistent soreness.
Adding a fourth session in week 4 would further increase load at a time when players are already showing signs of fatigue and inadequate recovery. The likely consequences are more overuse injuries, reduced performance, and possibly illness. The coach's belief that more training always equals better performance ignores the role of recovery and the principle of progressive overload with adequate rest.
A better approach is to hold load steady or reduce it in week 4, ensure at least one full rest day, and alternate hard and easy days. The player with a previous ACL injury is at elevated risk and should have her load managed individually, with a planned substitution pattern rather than playing every minute. Return-to-play and load decisions should be based on monitoring data, not on the assumption that more is better.
2. Describe how the team should monitor load and what changes would reduce injury risk over the remaining weeks.
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Monitoring should be simple and consistent:
- Record session duration and a rating of perceived exertion for each session, then multiply them to estimate session load. Track weekly totals and the change from week to week.
- Record sleep duration and quality, and ask players to report soreness and pain daily.
- Track injuries and near-misses, including the ankle and knee complaints.
- Note menstrual cycle and illness where relevant, as these can affect how players tolerate load.
Changes to reduce risk:
- Limit week-to-week increases in load, for example to no more than about 10%, and avoid large spikes.
- Insert a rest day and keep at least one session low in intensity.
- Include a structured warm-up with balance, landing, and change-of-direction control, which reduces knee and ankle injury risk.
- Build strength and proprioception, particularly for the player with a previous ACL injury.
- Manage the ACL-history player's minutes with planned substitutions and monitor her response.
- Ensure adequate sleep, nutrition, and hydration, and reduce load when several players report poor sleep or soreness.
These measures address load, recovery, and modifiable risk factors rather than simply adding sessions.